Car thieves are increasingly using technology that was once marketed as a convenience to drivers. Today, because it is quiet and fast, relay theft is the method of choice for car theft. Thieves now use a technique called “bounce and roll” to steal property instead of “smash and grab,” pointing the house keys at the car and driving away.
Since the Range Rover achieved the dubious title of being the most stolen car in Britain, keyless vehicle crime has once again hit the headlines. In response, JLR has declared plans to invest £10 million in improving safety and providing owners of new and used Range Rovers with a special car insurance scheme.
However, keyless vehicle crimes don’t just affect luxury SUVs. After years of decline in car thefts, the so-called “relay attack” has become the most popular method of car theft.
What is keyless car theft and how can you protect yourself from this advanced 21st century crime?
What does “keyless car theft” mean?
- Because a relay attack is so easy to execute, owners of cars equipped with keyless entry should be especially concerned. Once a car has been identified as a target, two thieves collaborate to steal it, often from outside the owner’s home, using electronic signaling devices.
- While the other person remains close enough to the house for a device to detect a signal from the key fob, one person remains next to the target car.
- By transferring this signal to a second box and placing it next to the car or in the other person’s hands, it is possible to trick the car into believing that the key is inside.
- Thieves can simply press a button to start the car once the doors are unlocked, allowing them to take off. For less than £100, you can buy the electronic hardware needed to steal a car online, which is a very attractive deal for would-be thieves.
How to Stop Car Theft Using Keyless Entry
- Drivers are advised to use caution when at home because incidents of keyless vehicle theft often occur in residential areas, especially at night. Although car theft is on the rise, there are precautions you can take to keep you safe.
- Relay device Signals can pass through walls, doors and windows, but cannot pass through metal. To protect your car from attack, store your keys in a metal container, a signal-blocking wallet, or even a microwave.
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A Faraday bag, also called a signal jammer bag, can be purchased online for around £10. But please try to make sure the signal is really blocked. Although it’s a good idea to keep your keys out of reach of the front door or window, you should give it some thought before taking them upstairs or hiding them in a bedroom. It is better to allow a thief to take your car than to risk her or her family’s safety if they are determined to break into the house to get the keys.
There are additional precautions you can take to avoid being a victim of a keyless car theft:
- Find out if your car remote can be turned off or if it deactivates on its own after a short period of time when not in use.
- Once you park the car, make sure it is locked. An opportunistic thief could use a “jammer” to intercept the signal between the key fob and the car, leaving it vulnerable to attack. Be aware.
- Buy a steering wheel lock. In addition to providing a visible layer of defense, these can extend the time it takes to steal a car via a relay attack by several minutes. The locks cost around £20.
- Include a tracking device. It won’t prevent car theft, but it will increase the chances that the police will find the vehicle and return it to its rightful owner.
- Check with your car dealer to see if any software updates have been made to help prevent keyless vehicle theft.
- “Always make sure the car is locked.”
Although the driving experience has improved significantly due to the rapid development of technology, it has also made it possible for criminals to take advantage of weaknesses in electronic security.
I would advise drivers to take basic precautions to keep their cars safe, such as storing keys in metal cans or security bags that obstruct devices used by thieves. It’s also beneficial to go back to the basics, like making sure your car is locked. Research has shown that while some car owners believe their cars lock automatically, this is not true. Don’t forget to check it again before you leave.
Depositphotos image by VitalikRadko
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